This blog is intended to cover side issues emerging from the discussions of artefact collecting (including metal detecting) on my "Portable Antiquities and Heritage Issues" blog. This allows answering misleading points which may require it without sidetracking of other discussions onto unrelated topics, thus freeing the main blog for more serious stuff.

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Canvey Island does not give up

Dear Mr Barford, I gather that you ghave been in contact with Jude Plouviez regarding my request for confirmation of your address so that I might be enabled to invoice you for your unauthorised use of my photograph. This matter does not concern Ms Plouviez as she has no rights to the image nor itsuseage. The image was taken in a place to which the public had access at that time and Ms Plouviez was well aware that the image was being captured.

I see no reason why you feel it neccessary to contact Ms Plouviez regarding this matter and ask you again to confirm your address (below) so that I might send you the invoice for the use of my photograph that you enjoyed.

I took the precaution of printing out both the page of your blog and the source code of the same to enable me to prove theunauthorised useage of the image if neccessary.

Would you prefer that I telephone you to confirm the details?

Regards Richard Lincoln

Mr Lincoln, given the policies of Suffolk County Council (in whose emplyment Ms Plouviez was at the time you took your snapshot), I am prefectly at liberty to contact her to ask whether you have their a SCC permission for the commercial use of that image. It was taken on private property, not in a public place. It turns out that you do not have such permission.

I do not doubt that your attitude is that "Ms Plouviez has no rights to the use of that image or its use", the fact remains that she has objections. I am sure that as a "semi-professionsl photographer" you will have your own views on the ethicality of taking and using photographs of people in various situations and against their wishes making commercial use of them. I believe these people are called paparazzi in England and work for the less salubrious of newspapers and magazines.

I think your behaviour is doing a lot here to "strengthen links between archaeologists and detectorists" in Suffolk, but of course that does not concern you, because Canvey Island is the swampy bit the other side of Essex isn't it?

Now you admit to having downloaded a copy of my text onto your computer - are you sure (because last time I looked my copyright small print is in Polish) you are not in breach of my copyright? And what do you think this "code" tells you and anyone you intend to disseminate it to?

And no, I do not wish that you make any phone call to my home or place of work, or any other place. Neither am I going to pay you anything for the use of a snapshot taken of a SCC employee in a field that is not being used on my forum.

About Me

British archaeologist living and working in Warsaw, Poland. Since the early 1990s (or even longer) a primary interest has been research on artefact hunting and collecting and the market in portable antiquities in the international context and their effect on the archaeological record.